Episode 53

With the Balor defeated, Collective Action follows Yakman’s poem, navigating southward through the twisting maze of Vigil’s Keep.   Along the way, they encounter a group of Succubi, who offer the party a tempting deal—a kiss in exchange for safe passage out. The party, unwilling to take the risk, politely decline and manage to talk their way past the fiends, avoiding an unnecessary confrontation.   Continuing onward, they soon come face to face with a hideous devil, accompanied by a small entourage of fiendish followers. The devil quickly senses that the party carries the heart of his slain demonic adversary and, pleased with their "unintentional favor," rewards them with the second gemstone for the scepter. With no further hostility, he allows them to continue on their journey unchallenged.   Their exploration leads them to a room brimming with treasure. The adventurers begin to gather some loot, but before they can claim too much, a large wraith manifests. The spectral entity, rather than immediately attacking, expresses disappointment—it had set traps meant to ensnare them, but the party had avoided them all. Opting for caution, Collective Action chooses to leave, taking only part of the treasure, rather than engaging the shade in battle.   Venturing deeper into the keep, they encounter signs of battle, before finally finding an exit out of the maze—leading them into a vast natural cavern.   Inside, they are met by a handsome devil, surrounded by a group of tieflings and two Fell Cats. The devil, cordial yet calculating, holds the final gemstone for the scepter and offers them a wager.   The terms are simple:  

One member from each group must draw a card from a Deck of Many Things.

The higher card wins—provided the player survives whatever fate the card bestows upon them.

If the adventurers win, they get the final gemstone. If they lose, the scepter belongs to the devil, allowing him and his group to leave the keep.

There is no room for compromise, as the scepter will only work once, and the devil has no intention of venturing deeper into the keep.

  After some discussion, Blair accepts the challenge, drawing a card. The result: The Sun—a high-value card, granting Blair a boon of extra health and, to the party’s astonishment, the return of Blair’s original scythe.   The devil takes his turn, drawing a card bearing the symbol of a Gorgon. While no immediate effect is apparent, he clutches his head in pain, clearly suffering unseen consequences.   By all accounts, Blair has won the game. But as expected, the devil refuses to honor the deal, deciding he cannot allow the party to leave with the scepter. A battle erupts.   The fight proves challenging, with the spellcaster among the tieflings proving particularly troublesome. However, Collective Action emerges victorious, slaying their foes and claiming the final gemstone. Curiously, the deck is nowhere to be found among the loot.   With the scepter fully restored, they use it to activate the portal, descending once more into the depths of Vigil’s Keep.   They arrive in a large open chamber, dominated by a strange whirring machine at its center. Through a glass protrusion, they can see a man inside, pulling levers and pressing buttons. With each action, spells, arrows, and other magical attacks are launched towards a battle unfolding in front of the machine.   The combatants are two opposing groups:  

One consists of purple-skinned humanoids with tentacled faces and elongated heads.

The other is made up of greenish-yellow creatures with mottled skin.

  The man in the machine seems to be enjoying the spectacle, but quickly grows bored. With a few more lever pulls, he summons another Balor, sending the powerful demon charging into the fray. The combatants scatter and disappear from view, leaving the battlefield empty.   Finally noticing the party, the man idly wonders aloud if he summoned them by mistake. Upon realizing he did not, he dismisses them as just more adventurers, before returning his focus to his strange controls.   Left confused by the bizarre scene before them, Collective Action finds themselves faced with yet another mystery to unravel.